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Art 498

ART 498: Independent Studies

Credit Hours: (1-6)

Independent Study courses are offered by several departments and are designed to permit students to investigate independently specific problems or areas of interest under the direction of a faculty advisor.

An Independent Study course must be approved by the appropriate department curriculum committee and chairperson prior to the deadline for adding courses in the term in which the study is to be undertaken. Independent Study courses may be taken either on a pass-fail basis or for a letter grade. No student may apply more than six hours of credit for Independent Study toward graduation requirements.

A student taking an Independent Study course for honors credit must receive permission from the Director of Honors Programs before registering for the course.

Detailed Description of Content of the Course

Each proposal for an Independent Study must include a description of the course's content. That description should include a description of the studio problems to be explored and the primary and secondary sources that will be central features of the study. It must also state the nature and purposes of any projects or field experiences that will be a part of the study.

Detailed Description of the Conduct of the Course

1). Lectures and Demonstrations. Students will be given related research assignments in order to assure a high level of technical understanding in the studio area involved. They will participate in weekly critiques of their work and the work of others. Examinations and/or demonstrations will be required. Manipulative skills will be enhanced through studio instruction and demonstration.

2). This is a competency based course. A student determines his/her own objectives and probable problem-solving strategies to be explored. A student must be able to research artists, ideas, subjects and techniques which will help to insure understanding of concepts and ideas explored in personal work. The student will explore the solution of aesthetic, expressive, and technical problems, and will be required to develop a cohesive oeuvre of consistent aesthetic merit that exhibits competency and a high level of artistic sophistication.

Each proposal for an Independent Study course must include a description of how the study will be conducted. This description should detail the kinds of interactions the student will have with the professor.

Goals and Objectives of the Course

Each proposal for an Independent Study must include a description of the study's goals and objectives. These goals can be both content centered and process centered. At the conclusion of the course, students will develop skills and sophistication in utilizing the tools and techniques of a particular artistic discipline. The student will develop a conceptual understanding of the ideas underlying their creative work.

Assessment Measures

Each proposal for an Independent Study must include a description of how the student's performance will be evaluated. Development of projects will be done under direct faculty supervision and final presentation will be in the form of a portfolio review or written text.

Other Course Information

Proposals for an Independent Study should not replicate the content of established courses. They should provide opportunities for students to study and perform in ways that established courses do not permit.